Kurt never liked to turn down a challenge, especially a fashion related challenge. True, he had proposed the idea originally, but he would have a task in itself to try and recreate the Dalton uniform, without actually buying it (he'd looked up the cost of those blazers), and he was not going to ask Blaine to lend him one, simply as a matter of pride. After spending about an hour deliberating on his various options, Kurt had settled for a black jacket over a white shirt and red tie, with dark grey plaid shorts, although he wore black knee high boots so they weren't so noticeable.
Doing a quick twirl in front of the mirror, Kurt couldn't help but wish he at least had the blazer. Out of all the clothes he owned, this was the closest he could get to the Dalton uniform. And it wasn't a bad attempt either, he thought. Blaine Anderson was going to eat his words. There was no way Kurt was wearing anything suggested by Rachel Berry. Just no, never. He wouldn't have made the bet if he hadn't been confident that he'd win.
The plan was for Blaine, as well as Wes and David, to act as if they'd never seen Kurt before, and for him to try and find his way towards the Warbler's, who would be putting on one of their infamous impromptu performances. If he managed to find them and not get caught by a single student or teacher, Kurt would win. And if any of the students found him out, then Blaine would win. None of them had ever seen a picture of Kurt before, but had heard plenty of descriptions fro Blaine, Wes and David. Mostly from Blaine. Wes and David hadn't really been paying much attention to his 'perfect hair' or 'flawless complexion' or 'graceful walk'.
Kurt had been provided with directions to the school earlier when on the phone with Blaine. He hadn't told him anything about the 'uniform' he would be wearing, and Blaine hadn't given anything away about the Warblers or where they would be. It was up to Kurt to use his 'spying skills', which, to be honest, he had never before used. Usually it was Rachel who did the spying on the competition, along with whoever she could convince (read: drag) with her.
He had once before thought about going to spy on the Warblers, whom he'd heard of long before Sue's plan had begun. It had been during their girl's mash-up competition, when Puck had told him to go spy on the 'Garglers' and leave them to organise the rest. Kurt had looked up the website, and reading about the zero tolerance bullying policy had been very difficult. Knowing a place like this could exist seemed so strange. Kurt had scarcely been able to believe it. The whole prospect had looked very attractive, transferring to a private school to escape his tormentors. The only problem had been, of course, the fees.
Since then he had dropped the idea, trying to forget about the school. But now he was going to actually have to sneak inside and try and pass for one of the academy's own students. And as Kurt pulled up in the parking lot and looked at the impressive redbrick building, he couldn't help but feel a small pang of jealousy for his boyfriend who actually got to go here. The architecture was beautiful, with Grecian columns flanking the main entrance, large windows along the whole building, and two large stone lions facing eachother across a small pyramid shape in the roof. The place must have been a converted manor house or something to look like this.
Kurt pushed open the massive oak door tentatively, and found the inside to be just as ornate. He had come into a large hall with twin marble staircases both going to opposite sides before meeting at the top. There was a chandelier hanging from the roof, and Kurt could see two large wooden panels on the walls, with the names of previous head boys inscribed with gold paint, as well as the dates.
Immediately to his right was a small reception area, with the woman at the desk currently on the phone. She hadn't seen him, so Kurt decided to go up the stairs before she did, now coming into a bright room with a fireplace straight across from him, doors at either end, and a grand piano in the corner. A large portrait of who Kurt suspected was the founder of the school hang above the fireplace, the old man's beady eyes glaring down at him.
He checked his watch and saw he had just five minutes until Blaine had said the performance would be. Would the Warblers be performing in here? Kurt looked through the other doors, and was faced with more staircases, a long corridor lined with artwork and busts of famous people, and what looked like the school library. Kurt hurriedly took the stairs again, reaching a room lit by a dome-shaped skylight, which was basically a balcony looking down into the room he had been in before. Up here were basically tons of paintings, artwork, projects and desks, so Kurt assumed he had definitely come to the wrong place.
Hurrying back down the stairs again Kurt went along the bust corridor he'd seen earlier. He heard a bell ring and boys started appearing from classrooms up ahead, although there was no great explosion of sound accompanying their arrival, as there would be at McKinley. There was the low hum of conversation, nothing more. He reached the end of the corridor and decided to follow the masses down another short flight of steps and through some concourse area. He scanned the crowd for a familiar face, although didn't manage to find any. They would probably al be preparing for the performance anyway.
Eventually the crowd took Kurt to his final destination, which turned out to be a smaller version of the hall he had been in, although this one had large leather sofas which were currently been pushed away along with tables and chairs. In the centre of the room stood Blaine, Wes, David and a group of boys who Kurt rightly presumed to be the Warblers. Blaine was looking around the crowd, but Kurt quickly ducked behind another boy to avoid being seen. He wanted him to think that Kurt hadn't managed to find them. At least, for now.
He heard the group begin with a familiar introduction, one which Kurt couldn't quite place, before Blaine stepped forward and Kurt got to hear him sing for the second time.
I know you suffered
But I don't want you to hide
It's cold and loveless
I won't let you be denied
The Warblers didn't exactly dance like the New Directions. They mainly just sort of did this weird step shuffle thing which looked a little robotic to Kurt. Thankfully they didn't seem to be so stiff about it, but were smiling and really getting into the song, no matter which part they held.
Soothe me I want to reconcile the violence in your heart
I'll make you feel pure
Trust me
You can be sure
I want to recognize your beauty is not just a mask
I want to exorcise the demons from your past
I want to satisfy the undisclosed desires in your heart
The boys' voices blended together beautifully, even Blaine did so at the chorus, standing out but fitting in perfectly at the same time. Nobody was crying out to be noticed in this performance. It was more about the music and the unity than anything else. He couldn't imagine himself or Rachel trying to conform to this sort of performance, but he did appreciate the way they all worked together as a team.
You trick your lovers that you're wicked and divine Please me I want to reconcile the violence in your heart
You may be a sinner
But your innocence is mine
Show me how it's done
Tease me
You are the one
I want to recognize your beauty is not just a mask
I want to exorcise the demons from your past
I want to satisfy the undisclosed desires in your heart
Please me
Show me how it's done
Trust me I want to reconcile the violence in your heart
You are the one
I want to recognize your beauty is not just a mask
I want to exorcise the demons from your past
I want to satisfy the undisclosed desires in your heart
Kurt was struck by the lyrics and how well they fitted to his situation. Not fully, of course, Muse had not written this song for him, but the underlying meaning and emotions of the song really had an effect on Kurt. Blaine sang perfectly, although Kurt caught him scanning the crowds several times and smiled to himself with satisfaction. I blend in so well even Blaine can't find me.
The end of the song was met with enthusiastic applause and a couple of wolf-whistles. No one was shouting derogative slurs, nothing was being thrown, there were no riots or fire alarms going off. Just respect and appreciation for the performance they had just witnessed. Kurt clapped along `with the rest of them, noting that they would definitely have to kick it up a notch this year at Sectionals if they wanted to beat these guys.
Kurt decided to stop torturing Blaine and moved over towards the group, who were now mingling with the other students, talking animatedly. He tapped his boyfriend on the shoulder, who whirled around, taking in Kurt's outfit and chuckling slightly.
"Interesting uniform, newbie." He brushed non-existent lint off Kurt's lapel, looking him up and down to really take in what he was wearing. "You did well with the blazer and tie, but I think the boots are a bit conspicuous."
Kurt just rolled his eyes. "The boots are fabulous and the closest thing I have to loafers."
Merely grinning, Blaine gestured to the other Warblers. "So, what did you think of our performance? Would you like to consider auditioning?" He asked teasingly, although Kurt couldn't help but note the look in Blaine's eyes when he said this, like he was actually being serious.
"You guys were great!" Kurt replied, ignoring the last question with a small pang. Performing with Blaine and the others looked like a lot of fun, but at the same time they were just so different from the New Directions, and Kurt wasn't sure he could really fit in and keep his voice and personality under wraps. "Nice dancing by the way." He commented, watching that adorably goofy grin appear across Blaine's face as he nodded in acceptance and opened his mouth to say something else.
"Oh my God David, he's wearing a blazer and everything!"
"Are those knee high boots?" A second familiar voice joined the first as Kurt turned to see the two boys quickly navigating the crowd to reach them.
"Nice shorts, Hummel." Wes commented as they arrived, nodding appreciatively at Kurt's attempt.
"Why can't we wear shorts? That would be so awesome." whined David as he eyed the outfit. Blaine just rolled his eyes again. Kurt noticed he did that a lot when those two were around. It must be like a knee-jerk reaction for him by now.
"So...does this mean I win?" Kurt asked, directing his question towards Blaine.
"Well, that depends. You're not out of the school yet." This was said with a smile, and Kurt knew the boy was just trying to drag it out to give himself some small chance of winning. He expected the other two to say something, but they had already bounced off together like a pair of hyperactive puppies.
He turned back to his boyfriend. "So, are you saying I stay here and wait to get caught or that I should try and get out without being caught?" Blaine bit his lip, obviously thinking before replying.
"I'd love to say stay here and wait to get caught, but that could be cheating on my part, as well as making you miss even more school, so shall we just go with the second option?"
"Might as well, seeing as I've practically won already." There was more than a hint of smugness in Kurt's voice as he said this with a self-satisfied smirk adorning his features.
"No you have not." Blaine argued automatically, probably fearing for his hair gel by now, and with good reason. Kurt eyed the shiny covering with disdain, definitely preferring it loose to its gelled state. Sue did have a point when it came to product, he had to admit.
"Well if I haven't been recognised already, what makes you think I will be now? I must have past most of the school just now. This place is tiny." Blaine only laughed in response as they exited the room; Blaine leading him through a different route to the one Kurt had come through. This route turned out to be even longer than his, and he had the feeling Blaine was trying to expose Kurt to as much of the student body as possible before being willing to call it quits.
At last they stepped out of the building and started walking towards the parking lot. When they reached the navigator Kurt turned, hands on hips, full out grinning by now.
"Say it."
"Say what." The innocent expression on Blaine's face did not sidetrack Kurt for even a second.
"Say I won."
"Okay, I won." At this Kurt slapped Blaine lightly with his messenger bag as the latter just smiled like a small child.
"No, say Kurt, you won."
"..."
"Do it."
"Kurt, you won." said grudgingly, but with a hint of amusement which was reinforced by the smile on Blaine's face. Kurt nodded with satisfaction, before whipping out his phone and shooting off a quick text.
"I'm having David relieve you of your hair gel."
To his surprise, Blaine only just continued to smile like that, the expression causing a strange weak feeling around Kurt's knees, which he couldn't actually believe happened outside of movies and teen romance novels.
"Ah well, I still get to say I won the bachelor thing."
"Yes, you do, don't you?" Kurt answered, not quite sure of where Blaine was going with this, especially with that expression.
"Besides, this prize is worth the loss of hair gel for a week." And in a move that completely knocked the breath out of his body, Blaine put an arm around Kurt's waist and pulled him in closer before pressing his lips against Kurt's. He was taken completely unawares by this, even more so when he felt Blaine's tongue swipe lightly across his lips before Kurt opened his mouth to meet it with his own. He had never actually kissed anyone like this before, not even Jake. But this just felt so right, so perfect. He felt Blaine's arms tighten around his body as Kurt wrapped his arms around Blaine's neck and deepened the kiss.
Kurt Hummel would never doubt Sue Sylvester again.
Fin
Well, I think it is. I'm still kind of deliberating about one-shot spin offs and sequels. For now I think I should try and work a bit more on JLAMC and AAT before anything else though.
THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH. Thank you for deciding to read this story, thank you for reading on, thank you for alerting and favouriting me and the story, thank you for reviewing, thank you for offering your own ideas and contacting me. Thank you for your support and kind words of encouragement and praise. I've never been very confident with my writing but you all have helped me and given critiques and advice that I will never forget.
I'm sorry that this is the end, and I had mixed opinions on when or whether I should end it, but I have a strong feeling you won't see the last of these guys, or Jake, in my upcoming stories. I just need to sort things out a bit more in my life. Come my summer holidays I will DEFINITELY be writing more, so keep an eye out around July/August. This is the end of TGB, but I will be contemplating a sequel. Please don't kill me!
I hope this ending wasn't too disappointing or too cliché. I'm terrible at actually writing kisses and so on so that was really my first serious attempt. Also I'm changing the rating to K+ (too late, I know), as it was only T because I had no idea where this would go. I'm sorry if you expected more Klaine, more action, or whatever, but I'm still new to writing fanfiction so this is merely the first draft sort of work, hopefully.
And once more, I would like to thank platowasabore for prompting the original idea, without which I would never have written this story. I will still be looking at other fluff and angst prompts on LJ (and if you have any you want me to write don't hesitate to PM). I hope I did your idea justice.
So, long note, I know, but I honestly can't convey how much I appreciate your support and reviews. This story has had much more interest than I ever dreamed of, and I can still hardly believe it when I see the numbers. So, I thank you all once again and forever.
So long and farewell for now.
PS : Song was Undisclosed Desires, by Muse :P